TAU Honors Susan and Henry Samueli for Visionary Gifts

Power philanthropists established a health and engineering research fund together with a state-of-the-art building
20 May 2021
Prof. Henry Samueli (left), Dr. Susan Samueli and TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat at the Honorary Doctorate Ceremony. Photo: Chen Galili

Tel Aviv University awarded an honorary doctorate, its highest honor, to Dr. Susan and Prof. Henry Samueli in recognition of their inspiring achievements in engineering, health, high-tech and business, and their shared success as philanthropists.

 

The Samuelis recently established the Susan & Henry Samueli Engineering and Health Research Endowment and Susan & Henry Samueli Engineering Building at TAU, both far-reaching and ambitious projects that represent the convergence of “industry, philanthropy and Jewish values,” according to TAU President Ariel Porat.

 

The Samuelis are well-known and respected philanthropists who generously donate to the fields of higher education, STEM, integrative medicine, children and youth, and Jewish causes. Prof. Henry Samueli is co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Broadcom Inc. Dr. Susan Samueli holds a PhD in nutrition and promotes integrative healthcare. They are based in Southern California but have long supported numerous initiatives and projects in Israel.

 

Prof. Porat said at the degree ceremony that the Samuelis represent the right balance between science and society. “Professional careers, civic leadership, and philanthropy—Henry and Susan manage to balance them all and to transform ideas into social action,” he said. “I think they are wonderful models for goodness, and we are delighted that they are part of the TAU family.”

 

Earlier the same day, TAU hosted the inaugural conference of the Susan & Henry Samueli Engineering and Health Research Endowment, titled ” Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Ingenuity, Leadership and Innovation.” The Endowment will support a wide spectrum of fields at TAU such as communications, national security, medical diagnostics and treatments, integrative health and drug development.

 

The conference featured a diverse and fascinating roster of speakers, reflecting the synergy among academia, industry and the public sector at the core of the Samuelis’ philanthropic vision.

 

In addition to the Samuelis, speakers included Prof. Dan Peer, TAU’s Vice President for Research and Development and researcher at TAU’s Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research;  Prof. Yael Hanein of TAU’s Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology; Prof. Wayne Jonas, Executive Director of the Samueli Foundation’s Integrative Health Programs; TAU alumnus Omer David Keilaf, Co-founder and CEO of Innoviz Technologies; and Prof. Gal Markel, Deputy Director General, Rabin Medical Center and Director of the Davidoff Comprehensive Cancer Center; as well as several students.  

 

"Since technology will play an ever-increasing role in health care in the future, I am very happy that our Research Endowment will focus on engineering and health,” said Dr. Susan Samueli at the conference. “TAU has exceptional strength in both of these areas, so I am highly confident that we will see some great interventions coming out of this research in the years to come.”

 

Earlier in the week, TAU hosted the grand opening of the Susan & Henry Samueli Engineering Building in the presence of the donors, President Porat and Tel Aviv-Yafo Mayor Ron Huldai.

 

The modern building, which overlooks the TAU campus and a panoramic view of Tel Aviv, features labs, classrooms and offices belonging to TAU and its industry partner. 

 

In addition to expressing gratitude to the Samuelis, Prof. Porat warmly thanked everyone involved in the building’s vision and completion.

 

The project is “a wonderful example of what can be achieved through creative thinking and cooperation between the public and private spheres,” said Prof. Henry Samueli at the opening.

 

“Susan and Henry, with your generosity, a new era is starting in Israel—an era of close partnership between academia and partners in industry and beyond,” said Prof. Rosenwaks. “In my eyes, this is modern Zionism.”

 

 

 

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